Raucci emails released to media

Staff Writer Lauren Stanforth spent her Monday sifting through the near 11,000 emails exchanged between Steven Raucci and city school employees.

The Times Union requested these emails under the Freedom of Information Law shortly after Raucci’s arrest in Feb. 2009, but the district kept them secret. In March 2010, state Supreme Court Justice Barry Kramer denied the newspapers’ joint lawsuit requesting the documents’ release, saying they were intra-agency material and would invade personal privacy. However, the district recently agreed to make the emails available after the Times Union and Daily Gazette appealed of Kramer’s decision.

Raucci is serving 23 years to life in prison for placing explosive devices at the homes of people who angered him.

When kindergarten principal Susan Gorman lost her swipe card to get into Fulton Early Childhood Center in September 2008, she had to appeal to then-facilities supervisor Steven Raucci for a new one.A pedestrian request, but one that could put a city schools employee on the bad side of a man now serving 23 years to life in prison for placing explosive devices at the homes of people who angered him.

“We all know that O.J. Simpson got away with murder … now we have Sue Gorman, who lost her card and will not have to pay any penalty for it,” Raucci wrote to Gorman in an email released Monday as part of a settlement with the Times Union and Daily Gazette to view more than 11,000 pages of Raucci’s emails. “Why because in your case I’m the judge passing sentence.”

In a June 2008 email exchange with then-Van Corlear Elementary principal Michelle VanDerLinden, Raucci called her “a blonde” for allowing a staff member to loan her swipe entry card to her husband and described part of this next statement as sounding “kinky.”

“You are fortunate to be on my good side,” Raucci wrote. “Anyone else would have been dealt with severely. Other than finding out just what a bastard I can be, they would have had there own card taken away and made to sit in a corner.”

VanDerLinden responded, saying at the end of her email, “I am a blonde — thanks for your understanding!”

“If for any reason this email is taken lightly, then he or she will be in for a rude awakening if this message is not heeded.”

– Raucci in Jan. 2009 to custodians about equipment going missing.

“She is a secretary and who the hell does she thinks she is calling the Superintendents office with her whining..If she has a problem with that, she can call her congressmen.”

– Raucci to Principal Joseph DiCaprio in July 2008 about a staff member who lost her swipe card to gain entry into the building.

“I will not go into detail with the anger that I’m feeling at this moment. On occasions I have had a few administrators and teachers tell me they do not like it when they feel I am treating them like children. Unfortunately, never having kids of my own, most of the child psychology that I learned over the years has not been from my interactions with our students, but the adults in our district.”

– Raucci to Associate Superintendent and head of Schenectady High School Gary Comley in March 2008 about a staff member who removed a district lock from a door.

“I don’t have to tell you what will happen if the new key is lost. Pray that day never comes.”

– Raucci to various district employees about a custodian who lost her keys in June 2008.

I am truly hoping that Ms. Stanforth & other reporters will read EACH & EVERY e-mail thru this 90 day period…I have a sneaky suspicion that you may find some e-mail conversations between Raucci & his fellow CSEA thugs…as you already know the CSEA was held NOT accoutable for Raucci’s actions claiming ignorance..especially Kathy Garrison/CSEA Local President who apparently ignored an anonymous letter sent to her by SSSD employees who..at the time…were under Raucci’s wrath both physically ^ mentally

I see no other purpose or reasoning why both the Times Union or Schenectady Gazette would need this information as Raucci is already behind bars & the school district was solely held responsible for Raucci’s continuous & abhorant actions

I am passionate about ths case as the CSEA turned their backs on me as well in time of dire need…I am hoping that someone will expose these thugs for who they really are….I am counting on the reporters to search for the TRUTH…….

Not only do these emails show what a jerk Raucci was, but they expose the kind of incompetent people that are running the schools/teaching our children. I swear that the bar has been lowered for teachers and their fat salaries/big vacation time. No one called this guy out? Anyone involved in this should be canned. Throw out the unions, do they really help anything? Schenectady-what a joke!

#4 – Linton….do you have any idea what you’re talking about, or did you just choose this to spew your angry, jaded rhetoric? The point of the story was clear – he was in cahoots with administration, and when “incompetent” teachers did call him out, they were harassed – tires slashed, houses bombed, threatened, etc.

We were told that there was nothing that could be done when we complained to the local president and the labor specialist and some even ventured to the superintendent and personnel and they actually thought it was funny. Are they laughing now? They lost their jobs, he’s in prison and those that enabled him or could have blocked his reign of terror are walking around free as birds. That’s the travesty in all of this. Everyone has the right to know the real truth about what went on and who was involved.

amazing such a runt had that much control over intelligent people man i wish i worked with him i would have very much enjoyed myself. the outcome is that runt now has to take order’s and probably has to ask permission to sneeze ! so sit back and laugh ms. gorman, maybe send him a nice mail wishing him well in prison.